Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
17 Shower Music Controller
Amar Patel
Shalin Joshi
Varnith Aleti
Eric Tang design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
presentation1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
video
# Shower Music Controller

Team Members:
- Shalin Joshi (shalinj2)
- Amar Patel (amarcp2)
- Varnith Aleti (valet3)

# Problem

People often like to listen to music when they are in the shower, but it is very inconvenient to control/play specific music with wet hands, foggy screens, and with devices that aren't waterproof. If the person wants to switch the song, it leads to issues of getting the phone wet, having to step out of the shower, or just being stuck with whatever song is being played.

# Solution

The solution is a waterproof device that can be stuck to a shower wall, which allows the user to play, pause, skip, and even search for their playlists/songs from Spotify. This device will act as a Bluetooth remote interface to connect to a phone companion app. The app will be able to call the Spotify API and communicate with the device in order to do each task. The device will include buttons for playback actions and D-Pad buttons to navigate the UI on a screen.

# Solution Components

## Subsystem 1 - Embedded UI (Screen + Buttons)

Displays different menus and music lists (search, my playlists, now playing) and captures user input by using physical buttons. The buttons will be different ones for playback controls (play, pause, skip, volume) and a d-pad to navigate through the menus and songs on the UI. D-pad implemented using 4 tactile switches (UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT) arranged in a cross layout plus a center SELECT switch, all mounted on the PCB and covered through a waterproof silicone membrane.

Components:
- SPI TFT display module using ILI9341 controller
- Tactile Switches

## Subsystem 2 - Microcontroller + BLE Communication

Runs the software for the button controls and has Bluetooth communication with the phone. Sends commands (play/pause, search query, select track) and receives results/status updates from the phone.

Components:
- ESP32 Microcontroller

## Subsystem 3 - Phone Companion App + Spotify Integration

Handles Spotify authentication and all Web API requests. Translates Bluetooth messages from the device into Spotify actions and returns data back to the device. The app will do all the music control and Spotify connections and communicate with the device in order to know which actions to perform

Components:
- Mobile app using Swift or React
- Spotify WebAPI

## Subsystem 4 - Power, Charging, and Water-resistant Enclosure

Provides safe portable power, charging, voltage regulation, and physical waterproofing suitable for shower spray/steam. This subsystem will ensure that the device and its components are water-resistant and have charging capabilities. We will make sure that water doesn’t harm our device by enclosing it in a 3D-printed enclosure. The screen will be covered by a clear acrylic/polycarbonate display window, and the buttons will be lined with a silicone membrane. When the user wants to charge the device, they will remove it from the enclosure and shower and charge it elsewhere.

Components:
- LiPo Battery
- Li-ion charger IC/module (USB powered charging)
- 3.3V regulator for MCU and display
- Waterproof enclosure elements
- 3D printed enclosure for the device board and circuitry
- Clear acrylic/polycarbonate display window
- Silicone membrane for buttons

# Criterion For Success
- From the shower device, the user can successfully perform different playback actions with a maximum 1-2 seconds of delay: Play/Pause, Next Track, Previous Track, Volume Up/Down
- Users can enter a search query using buttons, submit it, receive at least 5 search results on the device screen, select one, and start playback.
- Device can connect through bluetooth to phone companion app and remain connected through the entire duration of a shower
- Device remains functional after 5 minutes of exposure to shower spray/steam.
- Device operates for at least 2 hours of active use on a full charge.


Covert Communication Device

Ahmad Abuisneineh, Srivardhan Sajja, Braeden Smith

Covert Communication Device

Featured Project

**Partners (seeking one additional partner)**: Braeden Smith (braeden2), Srivardhan Sajja (sajja3)

**Problem**: We imagine this product would have a primary use in military/law enforcement application -- especially in dangerous, high risk missions. During a house raid or other sensitive mission, maintaining a quiet profile and also having good situational awareness is essential. That mean's that normal two way radios can't work. And alternatives, like in-ear radios act as outside->in communication only and also reduce the ability to hear your surroundings.

**Solution**: We would provide a series of small pocketable devices with long battery that would use LoRa radios to provide a range of 1-5 miles. They would be rechargeable and have a single recessed soft-touch button that would allow someone to find it inside of pockets and tap it easily. The taps would be sent in real-time to all other devices, where they would be translated into silent but noticeable vibrations. (Every device can obviously TX/RX).

Essentially a team could use a set of predetermined signals or even morse code, to quickly and without loss of situational awareness communicate movements/instructions to others who are not within line-of-sight.

The following we would not consider part of the basic requirements for success, but additional goals if we are ahead of schedule:

We could also imagine a base-station which would allow someone using a computer to type simple text that would be sent out as morse code or other predetermined patterns. Additionally this base station would be able to record and monitor the traffic over the LoRa channels (including sender).

**Solutions Components**:

- **Charging and power systems**: the device would have a single USB-C/Microusb port that would connect to charging circuitry for the small Lithium-ion battery (150-500mAh). This USB port would also connect to the MCU. The subsystem would also be responsible to dropping the lion (3.7-4.2V to a stable 3.3V logic level). and providing power to the vibration motor.

- **RF Communications**: we would rely on externally produced RF transceivers that we would integrate into our PCB -- DLP-RFS1280, https://www.sparkfun.com/products/16871, https://www.adafruit.com/product/3073, .

-**Vibration**: We would have to research and source durable quiet, vibration motors that might even be adjustable in intensity

- **MCU**: We are likely to use the STM32 series of MCU's. We need it to communicate with the transceiver (probably SPI) and also control the vibration motor (by driving some transistor). The packets that we send would need to be encrypted (probably with AES). We would also need it to communicate to a host computer for programming via the same port.

- **Structural**: For this prototype, we'd imagine that a simple 3d printed case would be appropriate. We'd have to design something small and relatively ergonomic. We would have a single recessed location for the soft-touch button, that'd be easy to find by feel.

**Basic criterion for success:** We have at least two wireless devices that can reliably and quickly transfer button-presses to vibrations on the other device. It should operate at at *least* 1km LOS. It should be programmable + chargeable via USB. It should also be relatively compact in size and quiet to use.

**Additional Success Criterion:** we would have a separate, 3rd device that can stay permanently connected to a computer. It would provide some software that would be able to send and receive from the LoRa radio, especially ASCII -> morse code.